Senior Manager, Partner Activations

Position overview

Fortune is seeking a Senior Manager of Partner Activations to lead post-sale client relationships and the execution of complex, integrated partnerships for enterprise advertisers and agencies. This highly client-facing role requires exceptional written communication, confident meeting leadership, strong operational discipline, and sound judgment.

The Senior Manager will independently manage an assigned portfolio while partnering closely with the Director of Partner Activations on the team’s largest and most complex accounts. On Director-led partnerships, they will own designated workstreams, manage day-to-day coordination and communication, and develop polished, client-ready materials. The role requires both independent account leadership and reliable, proactive support across the broader portfolio.

Programs may span editorial content, newsletters, podcasts and vodcasts, social, events, and other sponsorship components. The ideal candidate can translate client objectives and sold commitments into actionable plans, bring clarity to complex situations, and communicate partnership value through compelling reports and presentations.

Key responsibilities

Client leadership and communication

- Own the day-to-day post-sale activation relationship for assigned clients and agencies, serving as a credible, proactive representative of Fortune.
- Lead client kickoffs, status meetings, and campaign recap presentations with clear agendas, confident facilitation, and actionable next steps.
- Independently write polished client correspondence, meeting recaps, program updates, and recommendations that are accurate, concise, and audience-appropriate.
- Translate complex program details, performance inputs, and internal dependencies into clear client-facing explanations.
- Set and manage expectations around timelines, approvals, deliverables, and changes, communicating risks early and constructively.
- Navigate challenging conversations with professionalism and sound judgment, resolving issues within the role’s authority and escalating material concerns with recommended solutions.
- Develop an understanding of client objectives and use that context to guide delivery, reporting, and recommendations.

Partnership support and collaboration

- Partner closely with the Director of Activations on complex, high-priority accounts, taking ownership of agreed workstreams and deliverables.
- Manage stakeholder communication, timelines, approvals, and follow-through for designated components of Director-led partnerships.
- Prepare client-ready communications, meeting materials, reporting narratives, and presentations.
- Lead assigned portions of client and internal meetings, document decisions, and drive next steps.
- Anticipate upcoming needs, surface risks early, and bring recommendations that help the Director move programs forward.
- Provide day-to-day continuity on designated activities while keeping the Director informed and escalating decisions requiring senior input.

Program ownership and delivery

- Own activation for assigned partnerships from sales handoff and kickoff through delivery, wrap-up, and renewal recommendations.
- Translate insertion orders and statements of work into integrated timelines, project plans, deliverable trackers, and clear responsibilities.
- Manage assets, approvals, dependencies, and deadlines across multiple concurrent programs.
- Monitor delivery against sold commitments and identify scope changes, resource gaps, and timing risks.
- Drive resolution of execution issues and coordinate adjustments with the appropriate account and delivery leads.

Cross-functional leadership

- Partner with Sales, Account Management, GTM, Editorial, Video, Insights, and relevant operational teams to deliver a cohesive client experience.
- Establish clear handoffs, responsibilities, and expectations across activation and specialist delivery teams.
- Keep stakeholders aligned on priorities, deadlines, approvals, and program changes.
- Drive accountability through clear communication, timely follow-ups, and proactive problem-solving.
- Contribute activation expertise to pre-sale planning when requested, including timelines, dependencies, and execution requirements.

Reporting and renewal support

- Own the development and presentation of mid-campaign reports and wrap decks for assigned programs.
- Synthesize delivery and performance inputs into a compelling narrative of client value, key learnings, and recommended next steps.
- Develop reporting materials for Director-led partnerships in collaboration with the Director and relevant stakeholders.
- Partner with Sales and Account Management on insights and materials supporting renewal and expansion conversations.
- Identify practical improvements and potential opportunities based on program results and client feedback.

Operational excellence

- Maintain accurate project boards, program records, and documentation using Asana, Salesforce, and shared tools.
- Apply and improve templates, playbooks, reporting workflows, and quality-control checklists.
- Recommend improvements that reduce recurring execution issues and unnecessary rework.
- Guide Coordinator support on assigned programs, when available, while retaining accountability for quality, deadlines, and client commitments.

Required qualifications

- Approximately 5–7 years of relevant experience in media partnerships, integrated marketing, client services, or campaign activation, including substantial direct responsibility for client communication.
- Demonstrated ability to independently manage client-facing programs involving multiple deliverables and internal teams.
- Exceptional writing and editing skills, with experience producing polished client correspondence, campaign narratives, and presentations with minimal editorial oversight.
- Strong meeting leadership and presentation skills, including the ability to guide discussions, address questions, clarify decisions, and establish next steps.
- Sound judgment in managing client expectations, communicating delivery risks, and navigating sensitive conversations.
- Ability to synthesize information from multiple teams into clear recommendations tailored to the audience.
- Strong project-management skills, including timeline development, dependency management, prioritization, and proactive issue resolution.
- Ability to balance independent account ownership with collaborative support on senior-led partnerships.
- Excellent attention to detail, accountability, and follow-through.
- Proficiency with project-management tools, spreadsheets, presentation software, and CRM systems.

Preferred qualifications

- Experience at a publisher, media company, agency, or branded-content organization.
- Familiarity with editorial sponsorships, newsletters, podcasts, vodcasts, social amplification, or event integrations.
- Experience working directly with enterprise advertisers and agencies.
- Familiarity with Asana and Salesforce.
- Experience guiding junior colleagues or coordinating shared support resources.

Success measures

- Assigned programs are delivered against agreed scope and timelines.
- Clients receive polished, proactive communication and well-led meetings.
- Director-led partnerships receive reliable support, with designated workstreams managed independently and senior decisions surfaced appropriately.
- Risks are identified early and escalated with recommended solutions.
- Reporting clearly demonstrates partnership value and supports renewal readiness.
- Program records remain accurate, current, and accessible.
- Cross-functional stakeholders understand their responsibilities and follow through on commitments.

Location

This role will be based in our NYC headquarters with hybrid flexibility.

Salary Range

$100,000 - $110,000 base salary, plus eligibility for a 10% discretionary annual bonus. This range is a good faith estimate and may ultimately vary based on a number of relevant factors.

A Few of Fortune’s Perks & Benefits

- 20 vacation days and 2 personal days on top of 11 company holidays and an honor-based sick leave policy

- Health, dental, and vision coverage (90% paid for individuals and families), along with flexible spending accounts where Fortune contributes to your HSA

- 401(k) plan

- Generous parental leave

- Dependent care, commuter, and cell phone benefits

- Tuition reimbursement program

- A commitment to an open, inclusive, and diverse work culture

About Fortune

At Fortune Media, our mission is to change the world by making business better. We achieve that by providing trusted information, great storytelling, rigorous benchmarking and world-class community building. And our key values are humility, ownership, and transparency.

The policy of Fortune Media is to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, caste, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, citizenship status, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Fortune Media affirmatively seeks to advance the principles of equal employment opportunity and values diversity and inclusion.